Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-07-14
DAILY HERALD.
THE STRIKE.
Travel Interrupted on Two
Principal Lines.
THE STRIKERS HOLDAMEETING
They Amend the IrOnclad Contract
and Submit it TO the
Company.

Inc HERALD yesterday published
the fact that there was disagreement
between the cable company which
recently purchased the Hellman and
Spence street-car lines and the en-
ployes of the lines. The trouble was
caused by an attempt on the part of
the company to induce the employees
to sign contract to some provisions
of which they objected. The chief
cause of difference was that the con-
tract, in the eighth clause, provided
that the company can discharge an
employee at moments notice, where
as, if an employe wants to quit, he
must give the company seven days
notice. The employees are required to
make deposit of $25 on going to
work and if they quit under seven
days notice they shall forfeit to the
company the deposit of $25. The
strikers also object to the tenth clause,
which provides that their deposit of
$25 shall be applied to the payment of
any damage which cars may sustain
while in their charge.
The people OF this city experienced
considerable Inconvenience yesterday
by the street-cars on the Olive street
and Sixth street lines stopping run
ming. People could be seen through
out the day standing on the different
street crossings awaiting the coming
of car, but to be doomed to bitter
disappointment. As the day advanced,
however, folks began to realize that
the car men were out on a strike, and
public sympathy seemed in favor of
the men, and, although compelled to
walk many blocks, almost all did so
without the exhibition of any ill-feel-
ing. Early in the morning the COM
pany started six cars, which ran
until $40 A. NJ. While they
were running the strikers boarded
the cars and managed by some means
or other to make the men in charge
desert their posts. The railroad
authorities were dumb-founded to OBJ
serve the cars being driven one at
time into the barns by their oppon-
ents. At Z O'Clock in the evening
three more ears were run for round
trip on the Sixth street line. The
men, however, refused to run the ears
any longer,
Many people living on the line rode
in to the theater, believing that the
cars would continue to run, but they
were compelled to walk home or go
to the expense of hiring other con-
veyances.
THE STRIKERS MEET.
A meeting of the striking car men
was held last evening at the City Gar
dens on Eighth and San Pedro streets,
J. Linsley presiding.
The chairman stated that the pur-
pose of the meeting WAS to. consider
amendments made to the contracts
furnished by the company. He said
that the first seven articles of the in
strument We're satisfactory and were
adopted. The remaining three sec
tions were then taken up and amended
to conform with the desires and wishes
of the employees. The eighth section
which originally provided for the dis
charge of an emplOy6 on "any day"
or at any hour by the company and
requiring the foreman to give the
latter at least seven days notice was
next considered. 1t was suggested
that the whole section he
stricken out and as substitute
insert. clause providing
that twelve hours should constitute a
days work, and that overwork should
be paid for at the rate of 30 cents per
hour. This proposition was discussed
at length and was finally dropped
without any action being taken. The
handling OF the next clause, to which
the strike is undoubted due, was taken
up. 1t originally read as follows:
"Ninth-That in case Of breach OF
any of the conditions of this agree
ment the said employee shall be lia-
BILE to said company for all loss or
damage sustained by it, by or through
such breach whether the same could
be reasonably anticipated or not"
A number of suggestions followed
and finally the following substitute
was adopted:
Each conductor shall deposit $25
as guarantee against the loss of the
bell punch or any other device which
the company may substitute; that
upon the return of said bell punch in
good order said deposit shall be re-
funded to said employee"
As a substitute for the succeeding
clause it was decided to adopt the fol-
lowing:
"All employees who have left the en-
ploy of said company for refusingto to sign
said contract be reinstated i'll their
former places without prejudice"
The meeting disbanded in a very or
derly manner and a committee placed
the contract as amended in the hands
of the company. Its officials last eveE-
ing were not prepared to say whether
it would be accepted or not. This
morning cars will be run on both lines
and it is expected that no interruption
will occur.
Mr.. Syme, superintendent Of the
line, has requested Chief Skinner to
render police assistance and that Off
cial has promised to do all in his
power to prevent the commission OF
any overt act on the part OF the
strikers, should they contemplate COM
mitting any. The strikers are very
orderly and no trouble may be ex-
pected from them. They are deter
mined in upholding their rights, but
will do it lawfully.
Mot Nhnrl Ra reals.